Where Does Your Real Power Lie?

There has only been one time in my life that I was happy to sit and concentrate for long stretches of time, and that was when I was actively working on my art.

I worked best in the evenings, and I was happy to come home from my 8 to 5 and dedicate hours into my craft. I’d work right up to 11pm or 12am, non-stop. Sometimes I would get so caught up in my work I’d barely notice that I hadn’t eaten! There was that one time when I almost crawled towards the kitchen because I hadn’t eaten since daylight, and my “tank” was on empty! Dangerous, but incredibly fulfilling!

Creating with colours was simple, fun and very comforting for me. But it often became very self-indulgent. I was very unwilling to make too many changes and I was not happy to receive any constructive criticism. At a certain point I did not feel as though I wanted to grow with my art. My ego simply wouldn’t let me. I cannot deny my artistic side, but I would rather do it for fun than as a career.

Now, with my brand Push Factor which is 5 months old, I encounter new challenges that require me to adjust emotionally and mentally on a regular basis! I realized after spending some time away this past Easter weekend that if I am going to make real changes in my life, then it’s going to be very important for me to be consciously aware of what I am doing with my time. I care more now about the days going by than I ever did before. Those days are non-refundable. It is truly up to me what I choose to do with them.

So in this situation, there is only one place I can begin to look at critically, just like I did when I started out with my art, because I understand that this is where real power to change lies, and that is:-

Daily Routines!

Simple, but powerful.

Here’s the thing. A daily pattern is like paint drying: you may become completely unaware of it, but it doesn’t mean that nothing is happening.

An unchecked daily pattern, could mean the difference between a life well lived and a profoundly mundane, and self-indulgent existence.

But there is really power in your daily routine, and I mean, REAL POWER. What if you decided, “I’m going to take stock of everyday of my life. I will be present in each day, and I will do my very best to remain conscious of what I am doing/feeling, and how I am acting.” The idea is to add more value to our days by taking control of how we choose to respond to our daily encounters and circumstances. A simple way for us to take more control of our lives is by being more involved and mindful of our activities each day. I truly believe that this is where the real magic happens. Owning who you and where you are, is, as far as I am concerned, the beginning of actively creating and moulding your life into what you really want it to be.

I now strongly believe that it is absolutely ludicrous to walk into a new day and have absolutely no plan whatsoever for what direction you want it to go.

Having a deliberate and thought out daily routine is about a lot more than “getting things done.” There is a real internal growth process that happens when you decide to stick to something that consistently adds value to your life on a daily basis:

It is an incredible confidence booster:

Many people in our workplaces and social circles have their days run by everything and everyone else but themselves. When you are deliberate about how your day is going to go and how you spend the hours allocated to you while you are awake, you will not only get a ton of things done, but you will truly appreciate your new-found self-discipline to accomplish what you would have otherwise given up on before.

It reduces stress levels:

This isn’t rocket science. When you know what activities you need to work on that day, it gives you more control of them. Nothing causes more anxiety than the knowledge that my to-do list is piling up, and not only is it turning into a small mountain, but I have absolutely no idea where to start with it! Knowing that you have 3 very specific things to do on a given day reduces mental clutter and is actually a mood lifter. Try it!

You Control Your Environment

Having a solid daily ritual allows you to be selective. You become conscious of who you spend your time with, what activities are accelerating your progress and who and what is hindering you. Slowly, you start to restructure what you watch, listen to and read. You also start to take notice subtle triggers that have the potential to distract you from what you want to accomplish.

You Get Clear

Yes, small, daily routines that add value to your life actually create this mental state with time. Clarity happens when you have no more distractions and clutter which causes anxiety, stress and worry. You start to get clear on exactly who you are and what you want. You start to evolve and create a grander vision and purpose for your life. Clarity offers you the opportunity to see yourself on a bigger stage.

You Become Braver

You start to challenge yourself. When you get used to these rituals that were so tough in the beginning, you actually start to adjust them to bigger goals, just to see how far you can go. The results are often pleasantly astonishing, because you will always surprise yourself with how much you have grown, especially when the things that used to intimidate and scare you simply do not anymore.

I hope these suggestions help you improve your own daily routines and rituals to build your character and create better circumstances in your life!

Question: What ideas or suggestions would you like to share to help improve our daily patterns and rituals? Do post a comment below. I would love your feedback!